A tetherball-type game apparatus, in use, comprises a pole, that is supported in an operatively upright configuration, and a cord having a ball engaged with one end thereof and having its opposite end engaged with the pole in a configuration in which the ball can be displaced in opposite directions around the pole by being struck by hand or foot, or with a suitable racquet, bat, paddle, or the like, hereinafter merely referred to as a bat. In a preferred embodiment the pole has a segment that defines a helical configuration and the cord has its one end engaged with this helical segment via a suitable engagement formation, the engagement formation typically comprising a loop formation provided at, or formed at, the said end of the cord. The helical segment serves to retain the cord at the level of the segment during displacement of the ball around the pole, while ensuring, in conjunction with the engagement formation of the cord, that the cord does not wind itself on the pole during said displacement of the ball.
The engagement between the cord and the ball of a tetherball-type game apparatus as above described permits free rotation of the ball about the cord where it is engaged with the cord, serving in effect to prevent twisting of the cord as a result of the ball being struck with over or under spin. The particular type of ball used and the size and mass of the ball used are variable, with both conventional tennis-type balls and foam-type balls having been used for the purpose.
Any reference hereinafter to a tether cord and ball arrangement for a tetherball-type game apparatus must be interpreted as a reference to a cord that has a ball engaged with one end thereof in the configuration described and that has, or can be provided with, an engagement formation, e.g. a loop formation, at the opposite end thereof, whereby the pole of the apparatus can be engaged by the cord.
The Applicant herein has proposed, in respect of the playing of tennis-type games, the use of a ball having a tail extending therefrom. The Applicant""s U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,931 (assigned to European Sports Merchandising BV) discloses in particular a series of parameters for such a ball and for the tail of the ball, that will provide for desired bounce and flight qualities that will permit a tennis-type game to be played with such a ball. The beneficial effects of a tail being attached to a ball when playing a tennis-type game include xe2x80x9cslowing downxe2x80x9d of the ball when in flight, while a more regular flight path for the ball also is provided for. By slowing down the ball, the distance that the ball can travel is reduced and, as such, the size of a playing area or court can be reduced, the combined effect including that playing of such a game is made easier while enjoyment is not reduced, particularly insofar as the ball can still be struck at xe2x80x9cfull strengthxe2x80x9d by a player. The visual and audible effects that can be created by a tail also can render playing of such a game more pleasing.
It is thus an object of this invention to link the above described beneficial effects associated with a ball and tail combination, in the playing of a tennis-type game, with a tetherball-type game. However, merely attaching a tail to the ball of a tether cord and ball arrangement, has not proved to be practical, particularly insofar as the tail tends to tangle with the ball and the cord as it repeatedly changes direction when struck. Such tangling of the tail with the ball, in addition to interfering with the flight path and flight characteristics of the ball to the detriment of the game, also results in the tail being destroyed very quickly, particularly due to being repeatedly struck with a bat.
The ball and tail combination disclosed in the Applicant""s U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,931, which is referred to above, therefore is not suitable for use in a tetherball-type game. Details of all other prior art ball and tail combinations of which the Applicant is aware are set out in column 2, lines 10 to 67 and column 3, lines 1 to 30, of the specification as filed in support of the above patent and for the reasons explained therein, also cannot be suitable for use in a tetherball-type game.
As such, it is a further object of this invention to at least ameliorate the above problems associated with the attachment of a tail to the ball of a tether cord and ball arrangement while still benefitting from the beneficial effects associated with a ball and tail combination as above envisaged.
Within this specification, in relation to the definition of certain components of the invention, reference is made to a flexibility rating that identifies the actual and relative flexibility of these components. The procedure whereby this rating is established, as outlined in the Applicant""s U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,931, constitutes a comparative procedure with the flexibility rating of a component being the distance in millimeters whereby the component can be horizontally displaced beyond the edge of a horizontal support surface before the projecting segment of the component has bent downwards, under the force of gravity, to the extent that the leading end of the component subtends at an angle of 45xc2x0 to the plane of the horizontal support surface. By way of explanation, therefore, a very flexible component can only be displaced a relatively short distance beyond the edge of a support surface before its leading end subtends at the angle of 45xc2x0 to the plane of the support surface, thus having a low flexibility rating, whereas a more rigid component can be displaced a longer distance beyond said edge, thus having a higher flexibility rating. The above procedure for establishing a flexibility rating is illustrated with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 of Applicant""s U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,931 and clearly allows for an accurate, measurable and simple comparative test whereby the flexibility of components can be compared and rated, without attempting to define the flexibility of a component on an absolute scale.
According to the invention there is provided a tether cord and ball arrangement for a tether ball-type game apparatus, which comprises a cord, a ball engaged with the cord at one end thereof and a tail assembly, in which the tail assembly includes an elongate anchor element having a length of at least 50 mm and defining an eye formation near one end thereof, whereby the element is located on the cord in a configuration in which it is free to rotate about the cord, and a streamer attachment location near the other end of the element, the anchor element having a flexibility rating of at least 200 mm; and at least one elongate streamer of a thin flexible material that has a flexibility rating between 20 mm and 100 mm, a thickness less than 0.1 mm and a length not shorter than three times the diameter of the ball and not longer than approximately 2000 mm, one end of the streamer being attached to the anchor element in a configuration in which it extends from the anchor element at the said streamer attachment location thereof, and in which the total weight of the tail assembly is not more than 20% of the weight of the ball.
The streamer of the tail assembly preferably has a thickness less than 0.06 mm and preferably is formed of a synthetic plastics sheet material.
Further according to the invention, the tail assembly may include a plurality of streamers that are attached to the anchor element in a configuration in which they extend from the anchor element at the said attachment location thereof.
The anchor element of the tether cord and ball arrangement of the invention may have an eye formation that can open and close for locating the anchor element on the cord. Also, the eye formation defined near one end of the anchor element and the attachment location defined near the other end of the anchor element may be at least 150 mm apart.
The anchor element preferably has a flexibility rating of approximately 350 mm, the anchor element preferably comprising an elongate, slender, synthetic plastics element.
The ball of the tether cord and ball arrangement of the invention may have a diameter between 50 mm and 100 mm and may have a mass of between 10 g and 90 g.
The invention extends also to a tether ball-type apparatus which comprises a pole, that can be supported in an operative upright configuration, and a tether cord and ball arrangement which comprises a cord, a ball engaged with the cord at one end thereof and a tail assembly, in which the tail assembly includes an elongate anchor element having a length of at least 50 mm and defining a eye formation near one end thereof, whereby the element is located on the cord in a configuration in which it is free to rotate about the cord and a streamer attachment location near the other end of the element, the anchor element having a flexibility rating of at least 200 mm; and at least one elongate streamer of a flexible material that has a flexibility rating between 20 mm and 100 mm, a thickness less than 0.1 metres and a length not shorter than three times the diameter of the ball and not longer than approximately 2000 mm, one end of the streamer being attached to the anchor element in a configuration in which it extends from the anchor element at the said streamer attachment location thereof, and in which the tail assembly has a total weight that is not more than 20% of the weight of the ball.
The tail assembly forming part of the tether cord and ball arrangement of the tether ball-type apparatus of the invention particularly may include all the features of the tail assembly of the tether cord and ball arrangement, in accordance with the invention.
The invention extends still further to a tail assembly of a tether cord and ball arrangement for a tether ball-type game apparatus, which tail assembly includes an elongate anchor element having a length of at least 50 mm and defining an eye formation near one end thereof, whereby the element can be located on the cord of a tether cord and ball arrangement in a configuration in which it is free to rotate about the cord, and a streamer attachment location near the other end of the element, the anchor element having a flexibility rating of at least 200 mm; and at least one elongate streamer of a thin flexible material that has a flexibility rating between 20 mm and 100 mm, a thickness less than 0.1 mm and a length not shorter than three times the diameter of the ball of a tether cord and ball arrangement with which the tail assembly is to be used and not longer than approximately 2000 mm, one end of the streamer being attached to the anchor element in a configuration in which it extends from the anchor element at the said streamer attachment location thereof, and in which the total weight of the tail assembly is not more than 20% of the weight of the ball of a tether cord and ball arrangement with which the tail assembly is to be used.